Elections in six Malaysian states on 12 August are being billed as a referendum on Anwar Ibrahim's leadership less than a year after he led a federal unity government to power.
But the elections represent more than just a test for Anwar. They will be a critical pointer of the strength of Islamist and Malay nationalist parties and will provide a signpost of whether multi-ethnic and religious Malaysia can pursue the politics of plurality and inclusion.
On 17 August 2023, Asialink assembled a panel of leading scholars to assess the outcomes of the Malaysia state elections, the trends in political and social order, and the impact on Anwar's prime ministership.
Speaker:
- Prof James Chin of the University of Tasmania,
- Dr Wan Rohila Ganti of Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA),
- Dr Pauline Leong of Sunway University
- Wathshlah Naidu, the Centre for Independent Journalism.
The discussion moderated by journalist and author Kean Wong.
Watch the webinar: